Wednesday, August 7, 2013

My pregnancy brain is in overdrive these
days. To remember anything, I have to write everything down. It’s so bad, I’ll
walk from my bedroom to the kitchen and forget why I went by the time I get
there. Was I hungry? Thirsty? Did I feed the dogs? Oh yeah, needed to take my
prenatal vitamins before I forgot. On a good day, it’ll take me two minutes to
slog through the swamp of my mind to remember. On a bad day, it can take much
longer.

Sticky notes are my key to survival. It’s
the only way I make deadlines, appointments and succeed at accomplishing
anything non-routine. For every day sort of things, like taking vitamins, I
have to make it a habit. Sticky notes have a short shelf life for me. After a
few days, my eyes glaze over the same note and by day seven it might as well
not even be there.

Thankfully my mind has a couple of safety
zones. When it comes to my son or plot details for a story my brain functions
perfectly and I feel like my old self. I know my little boy’s schedule inside
and out. I even have an internal alarm that goes off every time he needs to
potty (we’re going through the dreaded training early, but he’s doing awesome).
As far as writing, my characters are
very much alive in my head. They kick, scream and cajole until I get something down
on paper for the day.

Time is still an issue and will be for
the next couple of years with my little girl due on Thanksgiving. I might
forget to feed the dogs or take ten minutes to recall why I entered a room, but
at least I know my son and fictional babies are safe from drowning in the swamp
of my pregnancy brain.

What
is your best multitasking tip? Do you ever have problems remembering items on
your to-do list? Are there things you never forget no matter what like
birthdays, anniversaries or to feed your beloved pet?Thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh for another month of IWSG (Insecure Writers Support Group).